Key topics and speaker highlights of ITB Berlin Convention 2018

The ITB Berlin Convention 2018 focused on three key topics:

Overtourism: Fact, Fiction or Food for Thought?

Global tourism has been growing significantly for decades, though one thing is already clear: Exponential growth is impossible in a finite space. There are natural limits to a sustainable environment, society and infrastructure.

Presently more and more conflicts are coming to light. Natives are rebelling against overtourism, cruise ships are experiencing a “shrinking world”, Airbnb & Co. are fighting against bans. For the first time, limits to growth are becoming clearly visible. We have reached a turning point. “Business as usual” will no longer work. New solutions for managing tourists – from setting quotas to fee models to the usage of smart technologies – need to be developed and tested.

Multiple sessions of the ITB Berlin Convention 2018 will address “Overtourism”. The latest research results will show us the status quo and promising solutions will be highlighted in panel discussions and interviews.

The Revolution of Travel: New Means of Transportation

The present-day transportation system isn’t sustainable: Resource consumption, noise and environmental pollution, traffic jams and wasted time – gridlock in metropolises seems to be unavoidable.

New technologies and digitalization are making revolutionary means of transport for leisure and business travelers possible. Prototypes in the test phase reveal: The revolution of travel will soon be reality. Fully-automatic flying electric drone-taxis, flying cars, hyperloop transportation and supersonic flight will all soon be available.

The ITB Berlin Convention will feature discussions with the makers of these innovative means of transportation and present research results regarding both customers’ acceptance and willingness to pay.

Hardly any other topic is dominating society and business worldwide today as much as artificialintelligence. Technology giants and conventional industries are investing billions to improve production, products, interaction with customers and sales.

The mantra “Absolute Customer Centricity” is finally becoming reality. What is the status quo of artificial intelligence and personalization? To what extent is the travel industry affected by the developments and which specific steps for using artificial intelligence should travel companies take? The challenges and potential of personalization will be discussed in multiple sessions.

Top speakers

TOP KNOWLEDGE FROM THE LEADING INDUSTRY EXPERTS.

Jane Jie Sun

CEO, Ctrip.com International Ltd.

"From travel as a luxury to travel as a lifestyle, tourists are becoming travelers. What’s next? I will tellyou at ITB Berlin Convention.”

Mato Franković

Mayor of Dubrovnik

"We have set one goal - not to become hostages of our own success. New long-term innovative solutions for overtourism should be introduced on a daily basis, which will lead to satisfied citizens and satisfied guests."

Dr. Alexander Tayler

Chief Data Officer, Cambridge Analytica

"Cambridge Analytica has been involved in over 40 political campaigns, most famously being hired bythe Trump campaign. How do we combine big data analytics & behavioral understanding toinfluenceoutcomes? Find out how to influence selling in a world of massive data and messaging."